Alarm clocks have long been used to wake people up at a desired time. A typical alarm clock is set by placing the alarm clock into an alarm time setting mode, and then setting the hour and minute at which an alarm is desired. Although this mode of setting a clock may be ideal for waking up in the morning, it is less than ideal for a nap taken during the day.
Setting the alarm for a nap would require changing the time at which the alarm clock sounds an alarm, which must then be reset back to the desired wake-up time to ensure that the alarm will sound at the correct time the following morning. Forgetting to do so could result in oversleeping. A separate nap timer, set for an amount of time rather than an alarm time, would therefore be desired to avoid the need for changing the normal wakeup time to which the clock is set. Furthermore, naps are often taken for short periods of time when an individual needs a small amount of rest, and then to get back to whatever task they may be performing. Therefore, the ability to set the clock quickly ensures that the nap may be commenced, and completed, quickly.
When traveling, it is often unclear how to set an alarm clock provided within many hotels. An individual may therefore refrain from taking a nap for fear of not waking up on time. A simple, clear way of setting a nap time is therefore desired.
A nap timer is disclosed as part of the alarm clock of U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,524, issued to R. L. Koepp et al. on Nov. 17, 1981. Setting the nap timer requires first lifting a cover to expose the controls, moving a switch to a set mode, and then pressing a “doze” button for every 10 minutes of desired mapping. This method of setting the nap timer is complicated, and an instruction manual would probably be required for an individual unfamiliar with the clock.
Accordingly, an alarm clock with a simple, obvious way to set a nap timer is needed.